Special Features

2. Stress

Fotolia

Severe physical stress (like surgery) or severe psychological stress (like a death in the family) can have strange effects on the body. Severe stress typically sends the body into a state of shock, flooding it with various hormones and metabolites. This may lead to telogen effluvium, a shedding of the hair that we mentioned above. While the effects of acute stress on hair are well understood, what isn’t as clear is how chronic or long-term stress affects hair loss.